Offering a foreigner's view on Korean TV and movies

Final Review: Blood

Ok, so we are done with the final battle in Blood. There’s casualties on both sides — expected, after all, we are dealing with non-humans. Generally, Blood isn’t an unwatchable show. There are bits that are actually rather good…but of cos, other bits that could be improved.

What went well…

The dichotomy between being a monster, and acting a monster, with the latter condition not requiring the former to be present. While we are familiar with sabotaging second leads, corrupted bereaucrats and psychopathic murderers in other kdramas, they haven’t been placed on the same level of scrutiny as in Blood, where you have real monsters running around. And suddenly, the monsters are less scary than the monstrous humans. At least they don’t plot to kill your parents, and oh-so-graciously adopt you and pretend to love you — until you get in their way.

That’s what happened with Associate Director Choi (and the repentent Chairman Yoo). Once Associate Director Choi figures that Ri-ta will interfere with her plans to take over Taemin Hospital, she aligns herself with the (already mad) Jae-wook, and allows him to remove Ri-ta…permanently. And then she has the cheek to pretend to be concerned that Ri-ta shouldn’t suffer either in fear or pain before her imminent death. (eh…hello…you are asking a psychopath to go easy on his victim?)

Conversely, the real monsters — Ga-yeon and Chul-hoon — display believeable compassion towards their latest victim (Ri-ta), cos they are shocked by Jae-wook’s callousness and increasing insanity. Especially Ga-yeon. She is tasked to murder Ri-ta (her “first” kill, since prev all she has done is sabotages), and she is understandably afraid and reluctant. Plus, she has come to regard Ri-ta as an unni (though Ga-yeon technically is years older than Ri-ta). Thus, instead of going ahead to kill Ri-ta, she decides to save her. Ga-yeon manages to persuade Chul-hoon to join her rouse to let Jae-wook think that Ri-ta’s assassination was successful. But the expense of betraying already-mad Jae-wook is her death — and Chul-hoon’s.

What could have been improved

Change the OTP — they totally have zero chemistry. Sadly, Ji-sang and Ri-ta cannot manage to convince me that they are in love. Even with the requisite hugs and kisses and snuggles in bed. You can chalk this up to inexperience, poor acting skills or they juz dun click.

The ending of Blood could have been managed better as well. Blood‘s narrative starts to show signs of unravelling with Jae-wook’s progressive madness. (or is it the other way around?) Anyway, certain things like Jae-wook killing off Hyun-woo and suddenly becoming all open with his monster status and his clandestine experiments never receive proper handling. Why the sudden desire to be all open with the objective of his experiment, when he has managed to keep it hidden for years? (and i mean years = decades) Juz cos Ji-sang discovers he is a murderer? And I don’t see the need to kill Hyun-woo. Afterall, Ji-sang has promised to come up with an antidote for the vaccines vampiry side effects. So there’s really no need to seize the materials beforehand — even before anyone confirms the antidote can work. (it’d be more logical to seize the data after, isn’t it…)

And lastly, loose ends are all over the place. As though the production team realises that it’s a sinking ship (ahem, low ratings), and decides to abandon the project. Our minor side characters, who up to the mid of Blood‘s narrative, are still very much present, and taking sides — either with Ji-sang or with Jae-wook — disappear one day. As though the hospital emptied itself of “non-relevant” doctors and only has Jae-wook, Ji-sang, Dr Jung, Ri-ta, Ga-yeon and Soo-eun working in it. I don’t mind if the minor characters get sidelined…but at least tell me where they have suddenly gone to.

All in all, Blood isn’t a must-watch show. However, it has performed rather ok for a kdrama medical-thriller that, at least, isn’t so caught up in doctors acting as politicians.